


A Catalogue of a Most Unusual Hoard

by churkey



Series: A Most Unusual Hoard [4]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Dragon Stiles Stilinski, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2020-04-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:07:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23738053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/churkey/pseuds/churkey
Summary: Stiles catalogues his favourite hoard pieces.
Relationships: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski
Series: A Most Unusual Hoard [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1702960
Comments: 84
Kudos: 718
Collections: Sterek Goodness





	A Catalogue of a Most Unusual Hoard

**Author's Note:**

> This is your fault, Scarlett_Liz. I didn't even remember that you mentioned sleepy smiles, but.
> 
> Posting this to celebrate the slaying of the goblin fic that I've been battling with for months. I'm *really* happy I managed to finish it. On my *fourth* rewrite.
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> Also happy to see that footnotes work here (well, not quite... the internal links don't jump between the note and text. Whatever.).

Stiles really did think that the very _best_ thing about being a dragon was his ability to perfectly recall any and every one of Derek’s smiles in his hoard.

It meant he got to experience the joy of any given smile as if it were the first time.

He wasn’t even going to pretend like he didn’t have favourites.

There were certain smiles he relived on days when he was feeling down. On days when he needed a pick-me-up. Moments when he was missing Derek.

Or, honestly, whenever he wanted to smile himself.

Of course, he loved the very first wide, open grin Derek had given him when he’d realized what Stiles was hoarding. Or that one smile Derek had at Christmas when he’d been remembering Laura.

But those were years ago and he had several other favourites.

* * *

**5**

Derek was a pretty serious guy. Everyone thought so. Even Stiles had and he’d probably spent the most time with the guy.

Until they started dating.

Turns out that Derek was a dork. He could be playful and fun.

More than that, his sense of humour was _silly_.

He actually, and Stiles isn’t even joking, asked one day, “Hey, Stiles, guess what?”

He waited until Stiles said, “What?”

Only to reply, “Chicken butt!”

He gave Stiles a silly, little grin before he literally laughed until he cried.

Stiles _loves_ that silly, little grin. Derek makes it after every _ridiculous_ joke he tells. It’s his version of a wink and a nudge. The smile he has when he’s feeling proud of how funny he is and is inviting you to laugh with him.

It’s one of his favourites because no one believes it actually exists and he can’t prove it does, not unless he’s willing to share his hoard.

(He isn’t.)

Derek is only silly when they’re alone. Will only crack jokes like that for Stiles.

It means that – more than his other smiles – the silly, little grin belongs to Stiles.

His alone.

Other than Derek’s family, Stiles knows no one has seen that smile.

He’s the only one left to see and remember it.

Stiles loves it because that smile, more than anything else, proves that Derek isn’t broken. He’s gone through hell but something of the boy he once was lives on.

It’s beautiful.

(It breaks Stiles’ heart just a little, too. But that’s okay.)

* * *

**4**

Derek likes to project this air of confidence. That he’s tough, in charge, and can take the world on.

And, for the most part, he is.

But he also very much _isn’t_.

Derek is tough. He believes in his ability to survive.

What he infrequently feels is _good_ about himself. The kind of confidence that comes from knowing and liking yourself.

Stiles wishes that he could do more to convince Derek that he’s good and deserves nice things. That he’s worthy of all the love Stiles can give.

However… sometimes…

_Sometimes_ Derek wakes up on the right side of the bed. Or something.

He’ll wake up feeling good about the world and himself.

On those days, well, he’ll saunter up to Stiles and give him this slow, cocky half-grin.

Like, yeah, he’s the shit and he _knows_ it.

It honest to god makes Stiles weak in the knees.

(And makes his nether regions tingle, but that’s a different story altogether…)

Because Derek will come up and give that lopsided grin, grab Stiles, and kiss the everloving shit out of him.

Might even toss him over his shoulder and carry him off to bed.

Once or twice. Okay, maybe every other time.

It’s a good smile.

Not just because it leads to some very enjoyable activities but because Stiles _really_ likes it when Derek feels good about himself.

That he sometimes gets up and thinks, “Yeah, I do deserve nice things”, and the first thing he does is find Stiles.

* * *

**3**

There’s a particular smile Derek gets when they’ve been cuddling for a while. Or when he wakes up with Stiles.

It’s this warm, contented smile. Small but so very very warm.

That smile is like being wrapped in a blanket on a cold day while drinking hot chocolate.

It’s one of Stiles’ favourites even though he has piles and piles of them.

He’s a dragon. He _likes_ being warm and sleepy and comfortable and soft.

Derek puts out a lot of heat and Stiles basically wants to lie on top of him and bask in his warmth _all the time_.

It’s a good thing that Derek is a wolf and enjoys the contact just as much.

Stiles most frequently relives this smile when he’s feeling lonely or missing Derek.

It fills him with warmth and fondness and affection and all sorts of lovely, squishy feelings.

* * *

**2**

The first time Derek says, “I love you” he gives Stiles a smile that he almost wishes to never see again. Even as he relives the memory over and over again.

It’s the kind of beautiful that breaks your heart.

Derek’s had a hard life. Had his trust broken too many times to count.

Has a lot of anger and grief.

It takes him _years_ to tell Stiles he loves him.

(It never bothers Stiles. Stiles has a hoard of smiles that aptly communicate Derek’s love more than mere words could ever.)

Still. Derek eventually says ‘I love you’.

And the smile he gives Stiles…

It isn’t particularly big. Nor is it particularly small.

What it _is_ , is tremulous. The look in Derek’s eyes is hopeful and earnest. A little bashful.

Because he’s afraid, even after all these years, that Stiles will reject his love. Maybe even mock him for it. Use it against him, somehow.

Like he’s giving Stiles the ultimate weapon to destroy him and begging him not to use it all at once.

It cracks open Stiles’ heart.

Breaks and heals it all in the same moment.

Its beauty lies in the fact that Derek Hale bares the entirety of himself.

In the face of this smile all Stiles can do is cry and press gentle kisses on Derek’s mouth.

Hoping each kiss says all the words Stiles cannot find.

He’ll treasure this smile, even if he never wants to see it again. Wants to make sure that Derek never again begs with his smile and eyes for Stiles to accept him and his love.

He’ll treasure it. Keep it safe.

Just like he intends to do with Derek.

* * *

**1**

Stiles has been in a relationship with Derek for months. Things were good. Like, _really_ good.

The best, even.

Stiles had liked Derek before. Thought he might even be in love.

It was a little hard to tell because Derek was so guarded. Slow to trust and wary of letting _anyone_ in.

All that had changed once they’d gotten together.

Stiles might’ve guessed that it would still take time. That getting to know Derek as his boyfriend would be a process of slow, careful discovery.

Not so much. Once you were in, you were _in_.

Derek was an intense guy. Very much all or nothing. Stiles had it _all_ now.

Like… _all_ of it.

When they were alone, Derek was soft and silly. He talked openly about his feelings. He was sweet and romantic.

It was a dream, really.

So it was on this particular day that Stiles was overflowing with feels and said, “I love you.”

He meant it. Like. He’d share his _hoard_ with Derek. _That’s_ how much he meant it.

(He chose not to get bogged down by the logistical problems involved with sharing his hoard of Derek’s smiles with Derek. It was the thought that counted! Right? Right.)[1]

At the time of Stiles’ declaration of undying love, Derek had been puttering around the loft.

He was now frozen in place. Looking wide-eyed at Stiles.

And then.

And _then_.

He smiled.

Stiles _swore_ that he stopped breathing. Or the world stopped. _Something_ stopped.

He was sure.

He wasn’t sure he could describe Derek’s smile. And considering that it was the smile he relived the most, that was saying something.

It was true and genuine. Not a full grin. Softer than that. Lips and mouth open enough to see his adorable teeth.

Derek’s eyes crinkled at the corner.

The look in his eyes was so so soft. Full of hearts and love and so unbearably tender.

He looked _radiant_.

Stiles was too overwhelmed to even hiss out a possessive ‘mine’.

Derek’s smile only widened as he saw the effect he was having on Stiles.

And, for once, he was the one who approached Stiles to kiss him. Who grabbed a slack hand and gently pressed fingers to his lips.

(So Stiles could remember the feel and texture of _this_ most beautiful of smiles.)

He was utterly helpless in the light of that smile.

It would become the crowning jewel of his most unusual hoard.

* * *

[1] On a drab day when Derek is feeling particularly heavy with grief and guilt, Stiles *does* share his hoard. Derek asks why Stiles bothers when Derek is terrible and ruins everything. Nothing Stiles says reassures him. But because Stiles loves him the most, he shares one of his hoard pieces. It doesn't make sense and he has no idea how it works, but he's a dragon and made of magic and he can do what he wants. He brings Derek with him as he relives the smile that started their relationship. Lets Derek experience all the wonder and joy and beauty he felt in that moment. It works beautifully. Not as beautiful, of course, as the smile Derek gifts Stiles after he shares his most unusual hoard. 

**Author's Note:**

> I don't think you understand how hard this was to write. I'm autistic! I have no idea if the smiles I described actually match the emotions.
> 
> I like smiles because they're a clear, unambiguously positive expression. Beyond that? I have no idea.
> 
> Mostly working off of what I've read in other stories.
> 
> Forgive me if I got it wrong.


End file.
